The Man Upstairs

This made for TV movie begins with two guys escaping from prison, and in the process, a guard is shot. One of the prisoners is soon caught, but Mooney (Ryan O'Neal) manages to evade detection. Soon he breaks into a home while the old lady, Victoria (Katharine Hepburn), is sleeping. Later, she catches Mooney in her home and tells him to get lost...and he just leaves. But it's a rainy night and soon she invites him back inside...even though she knows he's an escaped prisoner. Why does she allow him to stay? Perhaps she's just lonely and he stays in her attic. However, this can't go on forever and sooner or later something has to give.

"The Man Upstairs" is one of Katharine Hepburn's later films. Despite being in her mid-80s and having Parkenson's, she's just fine in the movie and is quite entertaining. As for the movie, it's a slow, gentle sort of thing...focusing on the interaction between the mismatched pair instead of action and suspense. This is NOT a bad thing...and I like the gentle style of the movie...even if the plot itself is a bit ridiculous. Well worth seeing.

As most who frequent this site know,I am a Hepburn fan. Mainly because her acting style is fun,straight forward and (on the serious side) quite moving and never over the top.

Starting in her mid-60s,Kate started doing television films. All are good to great. There's a difference between her first few and the last few. That being in the '70s she played roles that were not reflections of herself,later they were. I have watched them all and have now come to the conclusion,this one's the tops of her 90's TV lot.

She plays yet another variation of herself,Victoria Brown, but she does that in way that still makes you believe she's "not" Katharine Hepburn but just a strong willed elderly person. She and Ryan O'Neal and cast make a seemingly impossible story,completely believable.

Only in a movie can an elderly woman overtake an escaped convict (that's taken up residence in her attic)pointing a gun at her and then she harbors him and makes him feel at home (although she did try to throw him out,she then feels bad because she's sent him out into the rain.)

Mooney (O'Neal's character) is a nice guy in ways but he's had a terrible abusive childhood,never knew his father and is a grand larceny jewel thief. He escapes from jail with only 6 months to go at the urging of a fellow inmate who's rotten to the core and this guy plays it to the hilt! He even tries to frame Mooney for the shooting of a guard while escaping.

The best way to make the "friendship" between Victoria & Mooney believable to yourself is to simply not let the realities in. If you let yourself believe what your seeing,you will in the end,reward yourself with a funny,dramatic and very touching holiday film.

Otherwise you will over-analyze & critique yourself out of a fun experience.

The greatest fun is watching the reactions of Irish housekeeper Molly,when Victoria starts sending her to the market to satisfy her "unusual cravings"! That and when Victoria's sister in law happens by and meets Mooney,he is passed off as an applicant for a butler named Oscar Scmidlapp(while wearing a Hawaiian shirt no less!) Hilarious!

How ever you come into possession of this movie and get to view it,I can pretty much guarantee,you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Just let yourself enjoy it,for it's light years better than most TV films tend to be and.... for my time invested,it (along with "One Christmas" )is one of her last great triumphs on film,TV or cinematic. (END)

I am a Katharine Hepburn fan of many years and I never get tired of seeing her films. This one is truly one of her best TV films. Only she could make you believe that a little old lady could take down a convicted felon. The interaction between her and Ryan O'Neal is so sweet. The enjoyment they took in each other comes through loud and clear in their performances. Their pairing in this film was a stroke of genius. Ryan definitely holds his own against Miss Hepburn.

As someone else said, don't watch this with the idea of analyzing it; just go with it and enjoy. It's a great holiday film that can be enjoyed any time of year.

This is a gem, a true gem!! Hepburn is so cute in this movie, I couldn't turn it off! O'Neal is excellent as the escaped convict who befriends an elder lady(Hepburn). The Irish housekeeper is so irritating you just can't help but love her! Hepburn, though being past 80 years old, performs beautifully and she is very believable! You can just imagine her wrestling a convict to the ground and taking his gun at Fenwick. The story was inspired and very cheery. A great family movie and just a real gem. It's definately worth your 90 minutes.

At 85 years of age in this film, Katharine Hepburn does a wonderful job. It is inspiring and amazing to see her perform again, and so well. The entire cast was equally as good. The film is certainly more drama than comedy and against what Leonard Maltin said is definately not "light-weight" It is a poignant film with a sense of humour brushed over it, but certainly not a focal point. Hepburn can shine in any film, and this one was certainly true to this statement. The role of was well-suited to her and she and the rest of the cast did a wonderful job. And to think, it was filmed so close to my home!